Handmade Ink and Watercolor French Courtiers and Flower Sellers Paper Dolls vintage 80s I find these old inlaid

I find these old inlaid wood darning eggs so pretty

including at least one that featured a motor--all preceding the Erector set

a pretty terrific display object I think

Just a good one--chunky

most commonly cabbage leaves

Handmade Ink and Watercolor French Courtiers and Flower Sellers Paper Dolls vintage 80s I find these old inlaidI take these hand drawn and watercolored paper dolls as representing French courtiers and flower sellers from the era of Louis XIV or so, though I am not entirely sure when they were made and whether a specific purpose; the level of execution is rather above and beyond that of paper dolls made by or for a child to play with! Perhaps they were background characters in an elaborate puppet show? Or made as part of a maquette for an opera set design? In